Google Loses Censorship Battle to China

Google loses a censorship battle to China but the war for civil rights continues on.

Google and China battle over censorship again, for now China is the winner. The censorship battle between the search engine giant, China and the world has been going on since 2006 when Google first introduced its censored search engine at google.cn. Censorship laws in China require that search engines filter their results to remove websites that have been banned by the countries legal system. Failure to obey these rules can result in the Chinese government revoking a company’s Internet Content Provider license.

In March 2010 Google and other US tech companies reported that the Chinese government was associated with cyber-attacks against their businesses. Shortly after this announcement, in a defiant act, Google redirected all of their web traffic from the Google China search engine to the Google Hong Kong search engine. Google Hong Kong is not required to censor search results. A week later China banned all Google websites including those from China, Japan and Australia. Google’s business in China no longer existed. The following day, the Chinese government lifted the ban. A couple months later in June, after talks with the Chinese government, Google finally ceded and ended the redirect to the Hong Kong search engine and censorship in China returned. For the moment Google has given into China’s demands.

The Google/China interaction has been followed by civil rights activists, technologist and corporate managers for years. The censorship of data from the Chinese people is immoral and wrong. Google argues that it is obligated to provide services to the people of China while abiding by the laws of the country. Google feels that it would be wrong to break the rules of the country in which it operates in. Not following the laws of China would result in their website being shut down and negatively impacting their users in the country. Google believes it is more important to satisfy their customers basic needs that to help improve their civil rights.

The problem with Google’s actions is that it sets an example for other corporations that it is ok to make moral exceptions in order to maintain business. Giving in to China’s demands will lead way to other companies following suit. China will feel empowered by winning this battle over a major US corporation and will be more likely to make demands of other US corporations operating within its borders.

Google should not have fallen to the demands of the Chinese government. By rejecting their demands, Google’s business may have been shut down in China but it would have led to other companies following suit. If more companies resisted China and failed to obey their immoral laws the country may choose to reconsider its civil rights issues. Any time change is made for the advancement of civil rights it is done so by people that resists the status quo and fight the immoral laws put in place by government.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/16435/google_china%23comment-200684

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_China

Is "thin" in?

“5 million to 10 million American girls and women and 1 million boys and men face eating disorders”(USA today.com). Is this what we want our future to look like? Many people are facing this dilemma because society is portraying “thin” is the healthy way to live life, and the fashion world is no stranger to this subject.

Many young girl models are starving themselves by not eating right or drugs abuse to stay under the “expected weight” which is usually under 100 pounds. Carer Otis, a supermodel whose works include “the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and Calvin Klein ads” (USA today.com), describes her past as a never-ending diet. Her method included “starvation and diet pills to laxative to fasting” (USA today.com). From the way she describes her torturing diet, it’s obvious that she did not like it at all, but the pressure to be the best in what she does triumphed her own health problem.

Consequently, this problem is being nurtured by us. We provide these companies the incentives to produce these kind of images. We choose to buy their products for example: fashion magazines, diet pills and other diet products, but we can stop this dilemma right now if we stick together and show our voices.

Like wise, we need to support products that are trying to suppress this problem for example the Dove campaign. They have everyday women with different skin colors and sizes to promote their products. These kind of campaigns can help women all over the world. Its message is very simple but relevant to many people, and it is to be comfortable in your own skin. This is a pioneer method that can and will expand if we are behind them a hundred percent.

Quang Pham

Work Cited

Avenaim, Jerry. "Carre Otis models healthy eating."

USA today.com. 24 February 2003. Web. 5 October. 2010.

<http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlighthealth/2003-02-24-carre-otis-_x.htm>.

Pictures

<http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/09/13/1157826986045.html>

<http://www.nancyhayssen.com/blog/331/doves-campaign-for-real-beauty/>

Gerding Edlen Development Opens LEED-Certified Portland Apartments with Smart Living Fair

Gerding Edlen is an environmentally conscious development company that was started in Portland, Oregon in 1996. From the day they began business, Gerding Edlen set out to develop condos that wouldn't only keep the spiritual and creative welfare of people in mind, but also pay close attention to conserving the environment.

This article showcases how Gerding Edlen continues to maintain this idea of green building as a social responsibilty by adopting the LEED certification process. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design process is not requited in the construction of new building but is a rating system that can be adopted in order to display how efficient a building operates and has been constructed.

In addition to this new way of building, Gerding Edlen also kicked off the opening of a new apartment building by throwing a free "Smart Living Fair" that introduces the public to many alternative products and companies that are focused on environmental stability.

Gerding Edlen continues to represent Oregon in a positive way by improving the livability of its inhabitants. By providing the public with knowledge of new ways of living, Gerding Edlen continues to be involved in serving its community.

A Link to this Article

Toyota's recalled cars and trucks fixed

In the recent decade Toyota has had many recalls on their cars and trucks. Many of the recalls have been because of a faulty design that would cause some drivers to have sudden accelerations with just a tap on their gas pedals and cause them to lose control of their cars. About 3,000 complaints have been filed to the company and could be possible for the deaths of 93 people.

Since taking action with major recalls of cars and trucks Toyota has heard complaints go significantly down. In addition to taking quick action in its recalls Toyota also repaired over 3.7 million of it's cars and trucks showing significant progress. To ensure quality in the newer models specific engineers would be set to make sure every car or truck is assembled right. Toyota had also announced that they would create a new safety design starting with their 2011 models. In the new models they would incorporate a new brake mechanism that would act similarity to the black box in an air plane. First it would cut the throttle when the brake and acceleration began to malfunction and will also give specifics of the cars problems before and after a crash.

Although the mistakes Toyota has made in the past have been major and fatal to many car owners, they continue to ensure it never happens again. With its recall and repair system they hope all cars they put out on the street will be safe and reliable. And with their new plans for future cars and trucks, they hope they will never have to go through recalls again.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Toyota-says-most-recalled-US-apf-1050729057.html?x=0

Good News and Bad News for Race to the Top Fans

In this article, there is news about Race to the Top which is a program that helps the educational world for K-12th grade. It provides troubled students with the extra aid that they need to graduate and survive school. There are so many children in the world that do not have families that care or want to help them learn to be responsible and motivated. This program gives to those unfortunate students and the teachers who are there to help them.

I believe that teachers are not compensated fairly for all of the work that they put into our future generations. They are, after all, molding what will someday be our doctors, lawyers, and business owners. Shouldn't they get more credit? The reason I am so interested in this article is because I am studying to be a teacher and the only downfall is the salary. This program also helps with students that are not on the track to graduate and schools with a large drop out rate. I think that it needs to be continued because there are so many students that need extra aid because they do not have family at home that will push them to do their best.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2010/09/good_news_and_bad_news_for_rac.html

This relates to corporate social responsibility because it matters if this program continues. There are many debates happening to decide whether or not there needs to be more funding put into the program. It really matters for our community and our world because someday the people that need that extra push could save our lives or give us a job. It is also important because that way more students can have a chance to volunteer which helps out the community a lot. Keeping this program could make a difference by so many people that will someday be a huge part of the society.

Cargill Turkey Brands Partner With Feeding America to Provide 1.75 Million Meals

On October 4th, Cargill, a diverse company producing products varying from food to industrial products, decided to assist Feeding America in providing food to those who are faced with hunger issues. Feeding America is the "nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity" and annually provides food to over 37 million people each year. Cargill has decided to partner its Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms turkey brands with Feeding America and will donate over 1.75 million meals to those in need of food.

This 250,000 dollar donation is 6 percent more than what Cargill gave in 2009, and in addition to the donation, Cargill will be posting full page ads with the campaign slogan, "The One Turkey That Can Feed A Million People", in a variety of magazines including Better Homes and Gardens. In addition to the magazine ads, the donation will be publicized online via ads and electronic newsletters, as in stores by large banners and cardboard displays.

I found this article interesting in that I believe that no human being should ever have to struggle with something so basic as hunger, especially in a country as affluent as America. I think the president of Cargill's turkey division, Steve Willardsen, stated it well when he said, "Nobody in America should struggle with hunger from lack of food, so closing that gap is something we want to help accomplish." It's great to see a company break out of the basic mold of gaining as much profit as humanly possible at the expense of others, and instead helping those in need.

With Feeding America to Provide 1.75 Million Meals

U.S. sued American Express

“The possibilities are endless BLUE CASH from American Express Get cash back on virtually every dollar” an advertisement on American Express website that is trying to get consumers to apply for a card. Other card companies have started that promotion as well to get more cardholders. This cause merchant to pay a fee for every time a consumer makes a purchase with their credit card. Merchants were blocked from raising prices or giving discount. The lawsuit is for anti-competitive practices of which limit merchants from giving discount and etc. Other credit card companies was filed and agreed to a agreement but American Express was the only one fight back.

I was drawn to this because my mother is a cardholder and so as I. The promotion have saved us quite a lot and I feel terrible knowing that merchants are being cheated out. Credit card companies are the ones that have merchants lose employments and limit them on the prices they have to put to keep consumers coming. Since other companies have accepted the lawsuit and agreed to the charges, I wonder if they are going to take the promotion down and will American Express do the same thing if they lose. Because this does help the consumers a lot and as a cardholder I feel there should be another way to deal with it.

How this relate to corporate social responsibility is that credit card companies are making business harder to earn profits and such from consumers and with the fee that they charge, business are limited to how they can promote their product. This draws a line for companies to follow their rules which doesn’t let room for them to make their profit mark.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/04/news/companies/american_express_justice/index.htm